Dinner parties in the Roman Empire were more than just meals, they were events. They were displays of wealth, power, and influence. Roman Emperors were notorious for their lavish dinner parties, which often featured exotic food, extravagant entertainment, and a level of decadence that would make even the most seasoned gourmand blush.
A Taste of Excess: From Augustus to Nero
Augustus, the first Roman emperor, was known for his attempts to enforce morality, yet he indulged in some pretty wild dinner parties himself. He hosted a dinner called the “Twelve Gods” where guests dressed up as deities, with Augustus himself playing the role of Apollo. While Augustus might have tried to present a virtuous image, his former friend and colleague Mark Antony was quick to point out his flaws.
Antony, who was not exactly a paragon of virtue himself, enjoyed a good party too. He was known for his lavish spending and wild lifestyle. He was a master of self-indulgence, known for his heavy drinking, numerous affairs, and reckless spending.
Even though Augustus aimed for a less extravagant approach, his own dinner parties were still elaborate affairs. He offered three courses as standard, but for special occasions, he would offer six. Guests were entertained with music, actors, circus performers, and storytellers. Augustus also added an element of chance to his gatherings, offering lottery tickets with unequal prizes and displaying paintings with only the back side visible. The winners were elated, the losers disappointed, but participation was mandatory.
Nero, known for his cruelty and madness, was no stranger to ostentatious dining. He held dinners where guests paid exorbitant sums to attend. One guest forked over a staggering 4 million sesterces (approximately $2 million) for a dinner where silk turbans were the attire of choice. Another paid even more for a “rosaria,” likely a dinner hosted in a rose garden or featuring rose-infused drinks.
A Touch of Violence: Caligula and Claudius
Caligula, the notoriously cruel emperor, took his dinner parties to a whole new level of disturbing. He invited the parents of a recently executed man to a dinner, and he forced couples to sleep together before subjecting them to his judgment of their bedroom performance at dinner. Despite this, social climbers still flocked to his banquets, eager to be seen as part of the emperor’s inner circle. One wealthy individual even bribed Caligula’s staff 200,000 sesterces (around $100,000) for a seat at the table.
Claudius, Caligula’s uncle and successor, loved food and drink and frequently hosted extravagant banquets. He was known for inviting large groups of guests, sometimes as many as 600 at a time. On one occasion, he held a dinner party by Lake Fucine, which was notorious for flooding. Claudius had ordered the construction of drainage works, but unfortunately, the drainage system was opened during the party, flooding the entire gathering.
The story of Claudius’s death is shrouded in mystery, but many believed he was poisoned by his wife, Agrippina the Younger. Agrippina, ambitious and ruthless, had her son Nero declared emperor, and it is rumored that she poisoned Claudius to ensure her son’s ascension to the throne.
A Feast for the Senses: The Opulence of Nero
Nero, renowned for his extravagant lifestyle, lived in a palace with dining rooms fit for a god. His famous Golden House featured dining rooms with ivory ceilings that could rotate, showering guests with flowers and perfumes. The main dining hall was a circular room that constantly revolved, mimicking the movement of the heavens. Amazingly, some of this palace, including some of the dining rooms, still exists today, with some archaeologists believing they have identified the rotating dining room.
Gluttony and Excess: From Galba to Vitellius
Galba, a short-lived emperor known for his tyranny, was also known for his insatiable appetite. He reportedly left huge piles of uneaten food that were then distributed to his servants.
Vitellius, another brief ruler, became known for his extreme gluttony and extravagance. He was rumored to have four meals a day, starting with breakfast and finishing with an evening drinking session. He used emetics to help him manage all the food he consumed, and he saved money by attending other people’s dinners, expecting each host to pay a hefty sum of at least 400,000 sesterces (about $200,000) for the privilege. His brother hosted a lavish dinner for his arrival in Rome, serving over 2,000 fish and 7,000 birds.
Vitellius’s most extravagant culinary achievement was a platter so large that he called it the “Shield of Minerva, Defender of the City.” This platter was piled high with a mixture of the finest delicacies from across the empire, including pike livers, pheasant and peacock brains, flamingo tongues, and lamprey milt.
Elagabalus, the Emperor of Excess: A Feast for the Gods (and the Mice?)
Elagabalus, known for his religious fanaticism and depravity, was also the subject of many tales of legendary gluttony. Stories circulated about his vast consumption, including orders for 10,000 mice, 1,000 weasels, and 1,000 shrews.
While Elagabalus was known for his excess, he also possessed a strange sense of humor. He would sometimes order his guests to be served meals made of glass or pictures of food rather than actual food. He also famously threw large amounts of food out of his palace windows, demonstrating a complete disregard for waste.
Ulpius Marcellus: A Restrained Emperor
Not all Roman emperors embraced extravagance. Ulpius Marcellus, a senator sent to govern Britain by Marcus Aurelius, was known for his simple lifestyle and aversion to excess. He had his bread sent from Rome, not because he disliked local bread, but because he preferred it to be so stale that he could only eat a minimal amount.
Roman Dinners: A Window into the Past
Roman Emperors, from Augustus to Elagabalus, were notorious for their lavish dinners. These feasts were a window into the lives of the ruling class, offering a glimpse into their wealth, power, and excesses. While the stories of these emperors might seem like tales from a bygone era, they remind us that the allure of extravagance and the pursuit of pleasure are timeless temptations.
